Claire: The Forced Virgin Of The Billionaire

I called directory assistance and they connected me, after the operator laughed at my asking for Carol Dawson. “Archie Bunker?” She giggled, like I’d been prank calling.

“No, Carol, a female, not the actor.”

It started ringing and then there was a scratchy sounding, “Hello?”

“Aunt Carol, it’s me, Claire,” I felt shaky but tried to keep my voice steady.

Dead air.

“Aunt Carol, I’m really sorry to bother you. I know you don’t talk to him much but it’s imperative that I talk to my father. Like life or death kind of thing. If I phone home and my stepmom finds out I’m calling, she’ll never let him talk to me.”

She sighed, “I have nothing to do with your father, Claire. And where are you? Lily’s family has been worried sick trying to find you. It only got worse after Lily took off to heaven knows where to find you on her own.”

“Don’t worry about Lily, she’s ok. But please; do you have any idea how I can reach my father? It’s really important.”

She sighed, “He’s been working at the car parts place on Dufferin Street. Aimco. Last I heard, anyway. I don’t know if he’s working today. It’s Sunday. I don’t have a home number.”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“Thank you.”

“Claire?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t call me again.”

Click.

What a royal b***h.

I called directory assistance again. I didn’t have that much change left in my purse. I fished around the bottom, looking for more change. I found a folded up ten that I could break, if needed.

I got through to my Dad’s work and typed his last name into the keypad via the auto attendant. I got transferred to him and he answered.

“Dad!”

“Claire? Is that you, sweet pea?”

“Dad, I’m sorry I took off. And you need to hide. I’m so sorry, I’ve just done a very stupid thing and it doesn’t even matter now but you need to hide because they could hurt you and I had no choice but to run so I have and I wanted to warn you about it.” Tears were streaming down my face.

“s**t, Claire. Breathe, Sweetpea. Where are you?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m going to get out of here and you need to as well.”

“Meet me. We need to talk.”

“No Dad. You have no idea what I’ve been through the last few days. And there’s no time for us to meet. You need to disappear o….or he’ll find you.”

“Who will find me, Claire? You’re not making any sense. We need to talk….. face to face,” he sounded like he was choking up.

“I’m so sorry I took off. I…I was being held hostage by a man named Azriel Clarke, uh, he’s some kind of a bigshot mafia and I know I’ve been really stupid and…. And you need to run too…… or he’ll come for you too, dad. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Sweet pea, I just need five minutes of your time, I need to see for myself that you’re okay, okay?” He sounded desperate.

I held the phone and squeezed my eyes shut.

“I have a bit of cash. I can give it to you, help you get out of wherever you are,” he said, “Where are you?”

I had $248 in my account and that wouldn’t get me far. The other 5 million dollars Azriel had previously wired to my other account, its card with my other belongings had been taken away.

I didn’t care so much about Dad giving me money, although it’d be nice to have a little bit of help, but I did want to see him one last time before I disappeared. Then after glancing at a headboard overhead, I pulled in a harsh breath before making a decision I knew I shouldn’t make.

But it was hard to be confident in the fact that I would be able to fend for myself when I was dead broke.

“Fine, I’m at the West End shopping center at 99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris but I can’t wait. I’ll be in the food court. Unless I think it’s dangerous, then I’ll be in the family washroom near the lockers by the food court at 12 noon tomorrow. You can have five minutes to talk and then I’m out of here. I’ll wait twenty minutes. If you’re not there, I’m not waiting.”

“I’ll be there. Thanks, sweet pea.”

I was parched. I went and bought a cold drink from one of the food vendors and sat at the table closest to the public washrooms so that if I saw anyone suspicious, it was a good vantage point, I’d be able to take off from here quickly.

At least I had enough money to stay in a hotel for one night at least. And then tomorrow evening, hopefully after meeting my father, I’d be outta here.

Azriel’s POV

The first thing I did after finding out that she’d taken off was call Greg Dawson’s cell phone. I called him and told him to not say a f*****g word but to just listen. I didn’t want to even hear the douche bag’s voice.

I’d told him that she’d taken off and that if he heard from her it was in his best interest to notify me immediately. He answered with a “Yes, Sir.” after I’d threatened him and his skank of a wife.

After Claire’s friend, Lily, managed to track her down, she told her family and then her family told Claire’s family but still the bastard didn’t even try to find her. Let alone rescue her.

I initiated a manhunt with 15 of our guys and called my PI.

Ten minutes later Dawson called and said she was in the West End mall, either in the food court or in the family washroom by the food court and that she’d be leaving for a hotel soon. I hung up without saying goodbye.

Thanks a f*****g bunch, A*****e.